Vin Diesel, family of Paul Walker stage private memorial at crash site

Paul Walker’s family members and famous friends including Vin Diesel gathered at the site of the actor’s fatal car crash to host a private memorial service on Monday night.

“The Fast and the Furious” star died after the sports car he was travelling in with his friend Roger Rodas crashed and burst into flames in Santa Clarita, Calif.

Hundreds of fans have since visited the crash site, leaving flowers, candles and messages in tribute to the late actor, but police officers moved the crowds away on Monday night so Walker’s relatives and Hollywood colleagues could spend some private time there.

Santa Clarita city spokeswoman Gail Ortiz explains that a permit for the memorial was granted and police officers helped close the surrounding streets, telling The Santa Clarita Valley Signal, “We felt it was the right thing to do. We issued the temporary closure to enable the family and some of the co-stars to visit the site, at the family’s request.”

Walker’s longtime co-star Diesel was among those who attended the memorial, and he took the opportunity to address the fans gathered nearby using a police car’s loud speaker, telling the crowd, “I just want to say to all of you, if my brother (sic) were here right now and he saw all of the love you are bringing here. … If he could see for himself that all of you have shown up to show my brother love … at this hard time his family gets to see all of you show the love that you’ve shown Paul. It’s going to stay with me forever. I just wanted to say thank you. Thank you for coming down here and showing that angel up in heaven how much you appreciate him.”